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Not Cool Of The Day: Chairlift

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2011|

Posted by: Baeble Staff

Last night we attended a really fun holiday party hosted by our friends at Livestream. They boosted The Knitting Factory's bandwidth to allow for a stream of their chosen entertainment for the evening, Chairlift. The band is gearing up for their next album cycle, and we were excited to see Livestream so excited for new music! Unfortunately, the "friendly faces" of Chairlift didn't seem to share that enthusiasm, and we have a problem with that.

There is a certain stigma about being asked to play a corporate party, sure, but it's kind of flattering that someone thinks you're good enough to throw money at you to play your music at their party. The Black Keys know how to do it. We're assuming that Chairlift got paid a pretty penny.

Regardless, this wasn't some Wall Street party. Livestream is a nifty organization and one that has benefited live music fans and artists everywhere with their services, with a genuine interest in the content they provide.

Chairlift added a sour note to the evening. Here's why.

1. They looked like they had just had a fight in the dressing room upon taking the stage thirty minutes late (for a scheduled, live broadcast).

2. It was odd to see the lead singer keep Polachecking her iPhone between songs. We think she was reading haikus from her twitter, but still, there was an uncomfortable disconnect here.

3. The band made clear their displeasure with the party atmosphere by suggesting we tweet instead.

4. At the conclusion of their set, the singer felt compelled to write the following on the Livestream page: Hi, this is Chairlift. Just wanted to clarify that all below (and above) posts are from Livestream, not Chairlift. We'd also like to clarify that the audience members were exclusively guests of Livestream's private show. Many thanks to anyone who tuned in to watch tonight online, this show was for you. We had a really great time playing, and hope to see you at a 'real live' show soon. - Caroline

Now, we understand the desire to maintain a level of "cool" by distancing yourself from certain organizations, but blatantly dismissing a company that that pays you to play their party as they socialize seems a bit like like biting the hand that feeds you. Not to mention Livestream was genuinely excited to have Chairlift. But instead of using the opportunity as a platform for collaborative growth and positive vibes, Chairlift left a sour taste in everyone's mouth with their attitude. Not cool.